Valve



y 1941- s. D. VAN DYKE ETAL 2,

VALVE Filed April 7, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm Lirdney 2%! fiyl'e.

Patented July 29, 1941 OFFICE VALVE Sidney D. Van Dyke, Asbury Park, N. J and William T. Plum, Arivaca, Ariz.

Application April 7, 1938, Serial No. 200,734

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a valve of the blowoff type, and it is one object of the invention to provide an improved air venting valve which is applicable to hot water heating systems for permitting escape of air during filling of the system with water and preventing undesired leakage of air and water during use of the heating system.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which will vent automatically any air that is accumulated in the radiators, lines, etc., on any hot Water system and can be used to take the place of expansion tanks in overhead systems, venting the air, holding any pressure that is demanded on the job and positively closing against water after having vented the air that was in the system or radiators.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve of this type wherein a valve member is held out of closing engagement with a valve seat during filling of the heating system, spring means being provided for closing the valve when water in a casing or housing of the valve has risen to a certain level about the weight which holds the valve open when the casing is empty.

Another object of the invention is to so form the valve that in case air in the upper portion of the casing or housing should exceed a predetermined volume the water may be forced downwardly and the weight then serve to open the valve and allow escape of air until the pressure has been properly reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved valve which is of comparatively simple construction and very efficient in its operation. While it has been stated that the valve is for use upon a radiator of a hot water heating system, it is to be understood that it is not restricted to this particular use as the valve may be used where water mains etc. are to be vented of the air that is accumulated, still maintaining the pressures that original were there, but venting all superfluous air in the line.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view showing a valve of the improved construction partially in vertical section and partially in elevation,

Figure 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of the valve, and

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken vertically through another modified form of valve.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure 1, there has been provided a casing l which is of cylindrical formation and has upper and lower heads 2 and 3, the lower head being formed with a central opening or inlet 4 from which extends a neck 5 to be connected with a radiator of a heating plant or other source of water under pressure in any desired manner. An outlet 6 of small diameter is formed centrally of the upper head 2, and about this outlet is a neck 1 which extends into the casing with its lower end constituting a valve seat. While I have shown the casing l as an integral structure, it should be understood that, for purposes of permitting easy assembly, the heads 2 and 3 may be removably mounted.

Escape of air through the outlet 6 is to be controlled, and in order to do so, there has been provided a valve plate 8 carrying a sealing disk 9 for engaging the lower end of the neck I and forming a tight closure for the same when the valve plate is shifted upwardly to the closed position. Guide pins HI extend downwardly from the head 2 in spaced relation to opposite sides of the neck 1 and end portions of the valve plate are formed with openings II through which the guide pins loosely pass. It will thus be seen that the valve plate will be mounted for shifting movement vertically into and out of position to close the lower or inner end of the neck 1 and that this plate will be guided in its vertical movement. A bridging strip i2 is disposed under the valve plate 8 and has its end portions formed with openings l3 to receive lower end portions of the guide pins ID. Springs M are coiled about the guide pins between the valve plate II and the bridge l2, and in order to support the bridge, there have been provided nuts l5 which are threaded upon the pins and serve not only to support the bridge but also permit vertical adjustment thereof in order that tension of the springs l4 may be controlled.

In order to hold the valve in its opened condition until water in the casing has reached a predetermined level, there has been provided a weight l6 which is disposed vertically in the easing and consists of a hollow container in which a predetermined quantity of weight-creating material IT is placed. This material may be liquid or dry. If it has a specific gravity corresponding to that of water, the container will be filled with the weight-creating material but if it has a greater specific gravity than water, the container will be only partially filled according to the specific gravity of the material, and it is to be understood that this quantity will produce a weight having a specific gravity substantially equal to the volume of the water displaced by it when the water is at the level shown at l8. A stem l9 extends upwardly from the weight centrally of the upper end of the container thereof, and this stem passes through an opening 20 formed midway the length of the bridge l2 with its upper end threaded and screwed into a threaded socket formed in a boss 2| depending from the valve plate 8 midway its length. The weight of the material in the casing of the weight it is suificient to overcome the springs l4 and draw the valve plate downwardly to an opened position when the level of the water in the easing is below the level shown at I8, but when the water in the casing rises to the level shown at I8, the specific gravity of the material l1 will be counter-balanced and the springs may then move the valve plate upwardly into position to bring the sealing disk 9 into engagement with the lower end of the neck 1 and thus close the neck and prevent escape of air through this neck. It will thus be seen that during filling of a hot water system air will be permitted to escape from a radiator until the water enters the easing I and moves upwardly therein to a point at which its level will be at the level shown at Hi. The action of the weight will then be counter-balanced and the springs may close the valve and prevent further escape of air. If, however, air continues to enter the casing through the neck and is placed under pressure in the upper portion of the casing I, this air will eventually be placed at such pressure that the water will be forced downwardly, as shown at 22, and the weight will then overcome the action of the springs 14 and move the valve plate downwardly to a position in which escape of air through the neck 1 will be permitted. This escape of air will continue until the pressure is relieved and the water again moves upwardly in the casing at which time the springs will again move the valve plate to the closing position. It will thus be seen that escape of air through the neck 1 will be controlled. While the valve has been specifically referred to as being used in connection with a radiator of a hot water heating system, it is to be understood that it may be employed wherever found practical, such, ior instance, as a system wherein air or other fiuid is to be admitted into a casing and confined in the upper portion thereof until it reaches a predetermined volume at which time the fluid is to be allowed to escape and the outlet closed when the pressure has been reduced to a predetermined point.

In Figure 2, there has been illustrated a modified construction, In this embodiment of the invention, there has been provided a horizontally disposed casing 23 which has a head 24 at its outer end and has its inner end open and externally threaded, as shown at 25, in order that it may be screwed into the upper portion 26 of a radiator or other source of liquid under pressure. An opening 21 constituting an air outlet is formed in the head 24 adjacent the peripheral edge of the head, and this perforation or outlet opening is disposed uppermost when the device is in use.

In order to close the opening 21, there has been provided an arm or strip 28 which is disposed vertically in the casing 23 and at its lower end is formed with an offset socket 29 to receive the fulcrum 3|) formed at the bottom of the casing and serving to pivotally mount the arm. A platform or lever 3| extends from the socket 29 and upon this platform is mounted a weight 32, corresponding to the weight l6, and consisting of a hollow container in which weight-imparting material 33 is placed. This material is the same as the material l1 and a suitable quantity will be placed in the container.

The arm 28 is to be moved towards the head 24 in order that the sealing disk 34 may be moved into engagement with the inner face of the head and close the opening 21, and in order to do so, there has been provided a guide pin 36, extending through openings formed in the arm 28 and in the spring abutments 35 and 31. This guide pin is formed with a head 38 or may carry a nut similar to one of the nuts I5, for the purpose of regulating the tension of the spring. The opening 45 is of sufiicient diameter to permit slight swinging movement of the arm 28 without binding. If desired, two pins may be used in place of the single pin 36, in which case the two pins will pass through openings in the end portions of bridging strips which may be substituted in place of the spring abutments 35 and 31. In this embodiment of the invention, the operation is quite similar to that previously described, and from an inspection of Figure 2, it will be seen that, when water in the easing 23 is below a certain level, the specific gravity of the weight will be sufiicient to hold the arm 28 in the opened position shown, whereas, when the water has risen to a predetermined level, the action of the weight will be counterbalanced and the spring or springs can move the arm towards the head 24 and the sealing disk will close the opening 21.

In Figure 3, there has been shown a valve which has a casing 4| which is of cylindrical formation and disposed vertically. Upper and lower heads 42 and 43 are provided for the easing, the lower head being provided with a depending neck 44 which is internally threaded, as shown at 45, in order that it may be screwed upon a nipple. A grid 45 is mounted in a seat 41 formed at the bottom of the casing about the neck 44 and through the center of this grid extends a guide pin 48 carried by and depending from the weight 49. It will thus be seen that vertical movement of the weight will be guided and the weight maintained concentric to the cylindrical casing.

Above the casing there is disposed a tubular or cylindrical auxiliary casing 50 defining a valve chamber 5|, the upper end of which is closed by a head 52 formed with a laterally extending vent 53, with which communicates a port 54. This port 54 extends from the valve chamber 5| axially of the auxiliary casing 5|), and about the inner end of the outlet port the head 52 is formed with a valve seat 55. The lower end portion of the auxiliary casing is externally threaded, as shown at 55, in order that it may be screwed into a threaded socket formed in the boss 51 rising from the head 42 of the casing 4|, and in order that the auxiliary casing may be screwed tightly into place, this auxiliary casing carries an annular collar 58. This collar 58 and the boss 51 are both formed with flat wrench-engaging edge faces and a gasket 59 is fitted about the threaded portion of the auxiliary casing under the collar 58.

Air in the upper portion of the casing 4| fiows upwardly through an opening 60 into the valve housing 5! and out through the outlet port 54. In order to control escape of air, there has been provided a valve head 6| which resembles a piston but is sufficiently loose in the valve chamber 5| to permit air to pass around it to the upper portion of the valve chamber. This valve head is screwed upon the threaded upper end portion of a stem 62 which is of sufficient length to extend downwardly through the opening 60 into the casing I and have its threaded lower end portion screwed into a socket 63 formed centrally of the upper end of the weight 49. It will thus be seen that, when there is not suflicient water in the casing M, the weight may hold the valve head in the lowered or opened position shown in the drawings. A compression spring 64 is disposed about the stem or rod 62 with its lower end resting upon the head 42 within the socket thereof and its upper end bearing against the valve head 6|. Therefore, when the Weight is counter-balanced by water rising to a predetermined height in the casing, the spring may exert upward thrust to raise the valve head and move the sealing disk 65 into engagement with the valve seat 55 and thus close the lower end of the outlet port 54. This sealing disk is secured upon the valve head by a shell or collar 66, and since the shell is threaded and screwed into place it may be easily removed when a new sealing disk is necessary. It will thus be seen that the operation of this form of valve is the same as shown in Figure 1, except that the air passes from the main casing 42 into the auxiliary casing and the spring for closing the valve is mounted in the auxiliary casing.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

In a valve structure, a main casing having upper and lower heads, the lower head being formed with an inlet neck, a grid for said neck, a weight in said casing consisting of a hollow container and weight-imparting material therein of a specific gravity substantially corresponding to that of water, a guide extending from the container through said grid, a cylindrical auxiliary casing detachably connected with the upper head and defining a valve chamber having an Outlet port at its upper end, an opening being formed through the upper head and establishing communication between the main casing and the valve chamber, a stem extending through said opening with its lower end connected with the upper end of the container of said weight, a closure member at the upper end of said stem shiftable vertically in said valve housing, a sealing disk carried by said closure member, and a compression spring in said valve chamber about the stem having its upper end engaging the closure member for shifting the closure member upwardly to close said outlet port when the action of said weight is overcome by water rising to a predetermined level in the casing.

SIDNEY D. VAN DYKE. WILLIAM T. PLUM. 

